Between
by knux33
Summary: I have lived in the dark all of my life. Maybe now ... I can have a chance at life and light. If my master will ever let me go. HIATUS
1. Opening

Title:_** Between**_

Author: Knux33

Story Inspired from: KingdomHearts1+2 DNAngel

Setting: Right after the second-to final boss. (Robotic dragon with King-like guy in its head.)

**INFO: Trying not to use any real spoilers so there's not too much info in the beginning.**

Out of the dark … comes light.

"_Shadow-Lover, never seen by day,_

_Only deep in dreams do you appear._

_Wisdom tells me I should turn away,_

_Love of mist and shadows, all unclear—_

_Nothing can I hold you but thought_

_Shadow-Lover, mist and twilight wrought."_

--Mercedes Lackey, _Shadow-Lover_ (Verse One)

**Part 1: Opportunity**

The gigantic metal dragon fell slowly to the ground. Its wings tarnished and twisted, its entire body seemed dented and burned. Sora and Riku had won.

Or so they thought.

The entire metal monster was alive enough to soften its landing and then turned to face them yet again. Gray violent clouds swirled and covered the machine, then Sora and Riku as well.

When the storm cleared the monster was whole once again, except for the cockpit. The pilot sat on his throne, waiting. Sora and Riku didn't keep him waiting long.

**Dark Being POV**

_Pitiful. Simple pitiful Nobodies. All it takes to wipe them out is two boys…two small keys in the grand scheme I have…_

I hid in the distance as I watched a wonderfully splendid battle come to an end. The two of them had destroyed the robotic dragon and whatever the hell was in its head.

I chuckled to myself. So this as the Keyblade wielder the Nobodies had been talking about. So they thought _he_ was powerful?

'**That boy is nothing compared to you, my lordship.**' I heard S'kullar Mindspeak in his usual sniveling tone.

'**You are the very embodiment of darkness, master.**' Cull'ark complemented, his voice like a low musical growl. '**That boy is merely a flickering candle, easily put out.'**I could hear the eagerness in his tone for battle.

'_**Enough!'**_ I Mindspoke loudly. _**'I wish to see what happens next.'**_

'**B-but the battle is over my lord. See, the creature is dead.'** S'kullar said, slightly perturbed.

S'kullar my have thought that, but I knew the two would go after the last of the 'Organization' once this foe had been vanquished. Which it totally, and completely, had.

But then the combatants were teleported somewhere else.

I growled with a hatred of the way Nobodies used the darkness. My darkness. They had no right to take the source of my entertainment elsewhere.

'**My lord, they have been taken to the Gray region of the Dark.**' S'kullar informed me. I resisted the urge to claw him. I knew that, and that I was missing the battle between the Keyblade wielders and the Organization's leader.

That was enough to get me in a bad humor. I wished to see if any of the combatants were of worth to me.

And I always got my way.

'_**Then we shall go there.'**_ Both S'kullar and Cull'ark looked fearfully at me. This brought me pleasure.

I soaked it there fearful looks. _Drank_ it. I drew the terror from there very bodies. Even they were scared of going to _that_ realm of the dark.

I am not.

'_**We are leaving now.'**_ Even in there fright they obey me without question when I give a direct order. We unfurled are wings, and took to the bleak, broken skies. I know why they obey me and why they always will.

Because they are far more fearful of my anger then they could ever be of death.

Between is simply between. Nothing more, nothing less.

**Dark Being**

I almost sighed sadly as the battle came to a very nice conclusion. Xenmis was using all his power in a final attack.

It looks like the Key bearers are doomed, how boring. But wait-

They showed awesome reflexes as they Twirled and slid, guarding each others backs. Eventually the power used in the attack wore thin, and the attack ended in a brilliant flash of light.

But I hate light.

My two minions trembled and shook with fear and excitement. They wanted to see blood.

As the light cleared I saw the two boys kneeling on the ground; exhausted from the last attack. Xenmis took this opening to strike.

I could feel my face twisting into a smile. Unlike my minions I knew how this was going to end.

I decided it was time to leave. I had seen who among the combatants was of worth to me. But I would wait; the time was not right, in the mist of battle.

I spread my bat-like wings and my followers did the same, turning to follow me out of this appalling place but I quickly gave them more orders. The looks on there faces were priceless, to say the least.

I just love the way there faces were plastered with looks of shock and fear.

But they will obey my commands. They always do. They always will. The day they stop is the day they die. And they know this to there very bones.

**? POV**

The Sea of Sorrows … that is what _he_ calls this place. I agree with him. I have been stuck here for … days … weeks … months.

This place; with its glowing orb so much like a true sun, or true moon, hidden by many clouds. The rocks both round and pointed with blue energy flowing on them like water, almost like eggs or long dead bones. And last the sea … salty and never ending. Like many, many tears.

I rested close to the shore, my clothing ragged and a few sizes to big while my spiky red hair was ruffled by the sea breeze. I breathed in the air and sighed. This is the by far the best place I've been to in a long time.

The water crashed upon the shore, then brew back in an endless soothing rhythm. Almost like the sea was breathing. I've been stuck in the realm of darkness for a long time … I have almost forgotten my life before the dark.

_He_ says I must stay here for my own good, to keep me safe. I don't believe a word _he_ says to me anymore.

_He_ says the dark creatures protect me, that I am the door. That if I were to die all hope would be lost.

I stood and through a small rock into the sea. What does a creature like him know about hope? All he does is destroy it.

One of the dark things was attracted by my hasty actions; it appeared out if the ground some yards away and began to walk in a shaky, jerking motion toward me; it's 'armor' clanging like soft metal. It was called a Soldier.

I quickly scrambled to get farther away from it; these things were mindless and careless; driven by some instinctive hunger I didn't understand. They had no real fear, just there mechanical, senseless hunger.

I didn't want it anywhere near me … or my heart. I then turned and began to run up the shoreline.

This was one of the small ones, it looked like some messed up armor. I could out run it … for a while. They could do quick sprints, and they had reasonable weapons.

I feared these things with good reason. Once _He_ had brought a live human from one of the worlds and demonstrated what the weakest of there kind, a Shadow, could do. There hunger never stopped and my heart seemed to appeal to them in a very dangerous way.

If I stopped running it would catch me, if it caught me …

My legs stopped moving after my last thought. It could kill me. What would happen to me if that happened? Would it be painful, or would it just rip me out of myself?

Death ... that is the only exit from this dark world that I know of.

Just then the little creature caught up to me and stopped two feet away, staring at me. I stared right back. Then it disappeared into the shadows again. I sighed in a mix of relief and bitter disappointment.

Then a blinding light from farther up the shore caused me to automatically scramble for cover behind one of the rocks that coat the shore; light burns the eyes of those who live in the dark to long.

Two figures appeared from the light. As they stumbled through the threshold the light disappeared behind them. Slowly closing … like a doorway…

I slid a bit further behind the rock, I did not wish for them to see me. One seemed to be wounded, the other supporting him. They began a conversation. I learned much about them from the simple but meaningful words they said to one another…

Light. They came from the land of light. They were both sitting at the edge of the tide line now. They had there eyes closed and were listening to the waves.

I took the opportunity to sneak toward closer rocks. They did not notice. Then something washed up close to the one called Riku.

A bottle …?

He handed it to the brown haired one, Sora.

"I think this is for you."

A poem. It was strange; it seemed to have meaning only to the two on the shore. Sora read it aloud, Riku listened.

They didn't know I was listening as well.

Then, as the poem ended, light again appeared; only upon the waves this time. This door was larger, and clearer than the last one.

Like it knew exactly where it wanted to go.

"Will go together." I was slightly startled when Sora got up and spoke to Riku. He held his hand out for Riku to grab.

"Yeah." He replied. They then both got up, and walked through the door.

I knew my chance when I saw it. I ran through after them. But everything was then lost in blindingly sweet light.

I felt weightless … I felt almost like I was drifting in the sky …I finally felt something other than the cold, creeping dark …I felt free.

I knew that somewhere ahead the other two were flowing forward as well, but I didn't even want to try to change my course from there's. I felt so content, just gliding along … nothing mattered at the moment. Everything was just perfect the way it was.

Then I was swiftly snapped awake.

Something was trying to pull me backwards, but the strength of the pull forward was immense. Like a string pulled to tightly, the flow of energy (or was it light?) snapped. But the in the recoil the other presence seemed to have lost its grip and we were shot across the last bit of space and out of the dark.

Whatever tried to capture me and the other two was gone. The others shot like a comet too there destination, probably eager too be home. But for some reason the flow snapped yet again, and I was separated from my unknowing rescuers.

All the better anyway, they had a welcome home too go back too. All I have is my memories of the dark … I didn't deserve whatever wonderful world awaited them.

So I shot off to an unknown destination, to face whatever awaited me there.

---

Falling, I was beginning to fall. The energy around me seemed to grow tighter around me, like a cocoon, slowing my fall, blunting the impact. But that doesn't mean it didn't hurt.

He felt like he landed in water, flowing swiftly in one constant direction.

_Oh no… I don't know how to- _The energy that had surrounded him dissipated and the water overwhelmed me.

NORMAL POV

But by floundering about with his limbs he found he could awkwardly make his way to the surface. But his slightly over-large clothing weighed him down and made moving in the water even harder.

Taking a large gulp of much needed air he was trying to keep his head above the water, even though he seemed to gulp in as much water at the same time. He was frantically trying to grab a hold of something, _anything,_ when he heard voices above and around him.

"Hey look down there!"

"There's a boy in the canal!"

The water seemed to swallow him, forcing more of itself down his throat. He sputtered and the current began to drag him down again. There was nothing for his swinging arms to grab onto.

"He's goin' under!"

"Somebody fish him out!"

He heard a splash and felt strong arms grip him; pulling him in one direction. He felt the stranger strongly pulling him against the current and keeping his head above the rough water.

"Don't worry kid, Vector's got ya," A strong but grated voice said to him. He felt Vector pull him up onto a solid stone platform. "A little too much 'ta drink, huh kid?"

He coughed up what seemed to him like too much water for his lungs to hold, but after taking some deep breaths he could get a good look at his rescuer.

_Oh my-_ He saw why his rescuer had so much power to swim with. Well, for one he had a tail … And for another thing it wasn't human._ Alligator_ was a far better description for the creature's long jaws and armored, leathery hide.

But then more water forced its way out of his lungs, impairing any real thought about his helper's alien appearance. The reptile swatted his back, helping to force the H2O out and Oxygen in.

"Easy kid, you look like ya' saw a ghost!" Vector said, somehow making eligible words with his long toothy jaw. "Are you all right?"

Nodding weakly, the boy found that though his throat and lungs were sore he could breathe fine now. He began to stand on wobbly legs, the reptilian creature supporting him on one side.

Now that he could get a good look at his surroundings he found he was surrounded by tall buildings; crowds of people flowing in many different directions, some stopping to glance at him, and then moving on.

All the buildings were made of an old, yellowed stone but seemed solid were they stood. The platform he was on was also made of stone, but one of its four sides was connected to a stairway that led up to the more populated street and where the few bystanders were standing from. The water level was a few yards below street level, hence the need for stairs.

"W-where?" He began with a shaky, horse voice. "Where are we?" Vector the alligator gave him a bewildered look.

"You in Netro, the Old City kid," He said, then added jokingly, "Planet Mobius, where the heck are you from?"

"Ah-the … uh-," _Where? The Dark. The cold, void, ever shifting place that people go mad in. The place most souls are thrown into when they lose there hearts…and willpower…_ "Um … up river?"

To his surprise, the alligator started laughing. "Hahaha, sure kid sure!" Vector started walking forward, and because he was the only support for the boy's shaken body he had to follow. "You can come ta' my place ta' dry … if ya' want ta'." Vector asked.

Shaky and half-drowned, the only logical answer was a croaky 'yeah' from the strange spiky red-haired boy. Vector didn't know who this kid was, but he would bet his tail that he sure as hell that he didn't want to go back 'up river' or wherever he really came from.

But one thing bothered Vector … but he decided that that particular question could wait till later.

"Wha's you're name kid?" Vector said as they joined the flow of people on higher ground. The crowd seemed to swallow them up without crushing them or taking any notice. The boy hesitated a fraction of a second, then replied in a small crackly whisper, sounding like old paper being shuffled. But no words seemed to come from the small noise he made in the crowded street.

"Wha? Sorry, you'll have to speak up kid," Vector said, "Crowd's pretty loud here."

Then the boy stopped shuffling along in the slow gait he had been walking in and faced the alligator. They had stooped but the crowd simply walked around them like they were a rock poking out of a stream. They had stopped under a streetlamp; its light illuminated the reptilian's form clearly, showing he wore only a pair of large orange headphones, a golden chain necklace, a pair of white gloves, and orange-black sneakers.

The boy himself was illuminated, he wore an oversized, ragged black t-shirt with bleached white pants. They too were over-sized and were only still on because of a rope used in place of a leather belt. His red spiky hair was dirty and drooped, slightly hiding his gray eyes in a curtain of red. But there intensity made the reptile stop almost immediately.

"Kado." He said, the crowd seemed almost silent as he said that one small word. But then the blaze in his glare seemed to smolder and burn out and he seemed to physically shrink, becoming a young half-drowned teenager once again. "W-where do you live?"

Vector began moving forward once again, more carrying the boy then just supporting him now.

"I live near the casinos in one of the South Street apartments; we also use it as are detective agency." He answered. "I live there and work with my partners, Charmy and Espio."

"W-what a-are they like?" Kado's voice had a clear stutter, understandable after being fished out of the very cold canal.

"Well Charmy's a kid, always real hyper and buzzin' around. Espi's a chameleon and is silent and really into samurai stuff and blending into the background." Vector explained. Then he smiled and continued with, "Espio's a chameleon and Charmy's a bee. We may get on each others nerves, and not to mention everyone else's, but we still go well together."

Kado was slightly surprised at the mentioning of the spices' of Vectors room mates, but not really shocked. As they walked with the crowd he had seen other animals walking upright and others that looked a lot like animal-human hybrids. Most seemed molded from small animals and were roughly an average of five feet tall. But other things that resembled larger animals were more around six or seven feet in height. Vector himself seemed around a low six feet or high five feet.

"How f-far away a-are we f-from you're a-apartment?"

"Not far now … ah! Here we are—," Vector led Kado to the side of the crowd, toward one of the stone buildings that was on the side. Vector opened the old wooden door that served as the old buildings main entrance and led Kado in. Kado, as walking through the threshold, felt something. Not a chill down his spine, or an out-of-body feeling, but something else. Like someone whispered something in his ear that he didn't quite catch.

But he had no time to puzzle the strange feeling as Vector led him further inside and he found that he was in a hallway with doors on either side, each proudly presenting a sign boasting the work those inside practiced. He saw a stairwell at the end of the hallway but Vector stopped in front of a door stating '_Chaotix Detective Agency, We'll take your case as long as you pay well!_'

Vector pulled a key out of his glove, because he had no pockets to speak of, and began to unlock the door when Kado had a strange thought. All of the Animal-human's he had seen had both gloves and shoes on at the least. Then Kado thought about what the gloves and shoes where covering and suppressed a shudder. Human like hands covered in leathery skin and having talons or claws protruding instead of fingernails, that could be something quite … unsettling.


	2. A little place called Mobius

**Please Review, then I'll post the next chapter faster**!

"Well, this is the office." Vector said and let the door swing open. The office wasn't exactly … clean. There was one old oak-wood desk in the back center of the room, papers scattered everywhere, and most people would have probably said the room smelled strongly of peanut-butter. But Kado had never been in an office before, or even heard of peanut-butter. Kado was more interested in seeing if the door to Vector's office 'whispered' like the old entrance door.

But when he and Vector crossed inside into the Chaotix's office he was disappointed. Not a sound.

_But this door is new_, Kado thought as he knowtest the shining pine-green paint on it. _Maybe only the old doors in this world can talk—_

"And this is my room. Well, mine, Charmy's, and Espio's." Vector explained as he showed Kado a door off to the right side of the office; this door also shown slightly with a relatively 'new' looking sheen.

Within there were only a few objects visible besides a closet door. There was a large king sized bed in the middle of the room and one smaller child's bed squeezed next to it. On the floor there seemed to be a mat with one thin blanket and a flat pillow. Vector ambled over to the closet, Kado flowing in his shadow. Kado was now shivering, regardless of his now, slightly dry, clothing.

"I know we got it 'round here some—ah-ha! Here we go," Vector pulled out a faded, old, thick towel and placed it one the larger King sized bed and started shuffling around in the closet. "And ya' can't stay in those old soaked clothes, so ya' can were these till yours dry—,"Then Vector pulled out an old pair of jeans and an orange T-Shirt. "They may be a bit big but they'll fit you better than what you're wearing now."

Vector placed the clothing on the bed and walked over to the office door, saying over his shoulder at Kado, "I'll be in the office if ya' need me, and don't worry. I'll tell my room mates ta' nock before they enter when they get back." Then he simply closed the door behind himself, and was gone from sight.

_Wow … not a day since I left the Dark and I already got a new pair of clothes, a friend, and so far a safe place to stay for the night. _He_ will never get me again … At—at least I _ _hope he'll never get me …_Those were Kado's thoughts as he removed the clothing he had worn for a while now, at least a month or two. _I still remember when _He_ brought that poor person into the dark …_

'_**Kado…'**__ The voice sent a chill down my spine; even though I knew He wasn't even close to where I was on this dismal beach, I knew He was coming. So, I waited. That was my only option; I had no where to run and no home to speak of. All because of Him. __**'I have something to gi—… something to show you.' **_

_His voice was but a whisper in my mind, that's how it always was. In the Dark I need surprisingly little food or water to live on, and either S'kullar of Cull'ark brought clothing or food items to me. I never wondered where the items came from and they never told me; it was a very silent exchange. But this time He was coming, and that meant something … different was going to happen. And the hesitation on what He was doing coming here did not go unnoticed, that probably meant something bad was going to happen. _

_I had perched myself on one of the oval rocks that dotted the shore, I could already hear His wing beats as he grew closer. Then I caught sight of Him, and the squirming guy in His talons. It seemed to be a young man, tall and fit looking. Then I caught site of the other things He had brought. _

_Heartless, Neo shadows. There were only four of them trailing in His shadow but it was still enough to make me tense up and get my body preparing for a flight or fight reaction._

'_**Be at ease my door, they are not for you.'**__ His voice penetrated my thoughts and as I watched him land on three feet, the fourth still holding the captive. The young man seemed to be trying to squirm from the monsters claws, but He held the human firmly now and it had no real hope of escape. __**'They are for this young sea rat.'**_

"_Let go of me!" The human was still squirming, now he was talking. "Do you now who I am beast?! I am Lagg, son of Thar the Slayer! We have roamed the seven seas, slain many monsters, and my father will kill you!" It seemed Lagg hadn't noticed me on my rock perch yet. But then his hysterics stopped as He squeezed Lagg. Finding his lungs devoid of needed air Lag was reduced to wheezing and gasping for breath._

'_**Your clothing now is inadequate.'**__ He stated simply. I looked down at what I was currently wearing, a white wool shirt and a pair of faded black pants. Both covered in sand and small holes. __**'After my demonstration you may have this one's clothing.' **__And he waved Lagg in the air, and then put him down. Lagg, surprised at his new found freedom, began to run along the shoreline. _

_I couldn't tell whether the shore actually went anywhere but I knew Lagg wasn't going to get anywhere that way. The Neo shadows began sparking with there antennas and digging into the sand with there claws. They wanted to chase the human down, but there Master hadn't given them their orders yet. Then He said to them, and me for convenience, __**'Take his heart, but bring back all of his items intact.'**_

_Then the Heartless began their chase. Then I was alone with Him._

'_**You are my door.'**__ He whispered in my mind._

"_I know." I answered. His body was almost impossible for me to make out. All I knew for sure was that he had a solid black body, bat-like wings, four taloned feet, a long cat-like tail, a serpent's neck, and an angular head with two horns protruding. All of it was a solid uniform black that didn't change in shade at all, even in light._

'_**I must find the right key for you to open, or you will not work at all.'**__ He continued, His yellow eyes staring at me through the darkness of His face; the reptilian slits as dark as His body. __**'Kado, the key-bearers are coming.' **__And with that statement, He unfolded his great wings and took to the dark, dark sky._

_Then a human scream ripped through the night and I shivered. The Heartless had caught Lagg._

_Later, one of the Neo shadows brought the clothing and items that had been on Lagg when they caught him and left it at the base of the rock I was still sitting on. Then it just disappeared into shadow like they always do._

_I slid down of the rock face and picked up the clothing. As I investigated I found a picture in one of the pockets. It had a woman and child on it. Both smiling and waving at the camera. I buried the picture in the sand with Lagg's shoes and some coins I also found in the sand. _

_Then I took of the clothing I was wearing and slipped on the oversized, ragged black t-shirt with bleached white pants that had once belonged to Lagg, using the rope he had also been brought to use as a belt. The clothing was large but was though enough to protect his skin from the sand._

Keys …

Kado quickly pulled off the damp clothing he currently wore and started to pull on the clothes Vector had provided. While he was dressing Kado heard a small buzzing sound hum through the air. He thought nothing of it, until a very large bee burst through the door. Vector ran in right after it.

"Charmy! Get back 'ere and nock for Christ's sake!" Vector yelled at the yellow striped insect as it seemed to zoom around the room.

"You can't catch me, you can't catch me! Come-on Vector! You gotta catch me!" The insect sang in a high-pitched little boy voice.

The bee, presumably Charmy, was the size of a small child, had a flight helmet on, and had eyes, a nose, a mouth, and two small antennas poking out of his relatively small head. The bug seemed to have human-like arms and legs as well.

Thank goodness he wore gloves and shoes like Vector. And it was a very good thing I had at least got my new jeans on before they came crashing in.

But then Charmy stopped flying around and seemed to be stuck in mid-air.

"No fair Espio! No fair, no fair, no fair, no fair—," The child whined as he kicked his feet. His arms seemed pined down to his sides along with his little wings.

"Come on Charmy, you know that's not polite to do to guests," The calm even voice seemed to come from nowhere, until the air seemed to shimmer and a chameleon-like figure appeared. He held the little bug with a gentle but firm grip in his two gloved hands. "You're supposed to nock and say 'hi,' not burst in while there still dressing."

"Ya' Charms, I thought we thought you better than that!" Vector glared at the little bee, then turned and apologized to Kado. "Sorry kid, Charmy can get a little hyper after a long day of work. But once he starts to wind down he'll be out like a—," Vector paused and seemed to focus in on Kado's topless form. "Wow, that's one nice tattoo ya got,"

Kado only then realized that without a shirt on the ceremonial marking his grandfather marked upon him at the day of his birth was a clear sight for all to see.

"I've always had it," His throat was still sore but he was now dry and could speak relatively clearly. "My Gramps put it on me. It's a … a family tradition."

The mark was the shape of a perfect keyhole, colored in with a special dye that didn't shine or reflect any light. It was right above his heart, on his left breast plate. _What type of door would I be if I didn't have any kind of lock?_

"Well Charmy, if you've had enough excitement for today it's time for bed." Espio, a very mellow purple chameleon holding the hyperactive bee in place, released he small captive and made for the only door to the outside. "If you don't bother are guest anymore maybe he'll get a chance to properly introduce himself."

"Good idea Espi," Vector said to the fellow reptiles retreating back but then Espio was gone. "Sorry, but Espio is a bit … uh, reclusive. 'Ya know, he's the best at spy work for obvious reasons." Vector said, addressing Kado.

"Vector can I go get a glass of water before bed? Can I, can I, pleeeease?" Charmy asked while buzzing around Vector's head.

"Sure sure Charmy. Just make try not to break any cups this time." Vector told the buzzing bee.

"Thank-you!" And, just like that, the little bug was gone. But Vector had a few questions for Kado before Charmy got back. Vector let the teen get a shirt on before he began questioning though.

"So kid, where are 'ya from, really?" He tried to ask in a commentary tone of voice.

Kado pulled the shirt over his head and froze. Just for a fraction of a second, but Vector caught the movement, and he also caught the way Kado seemed to tense up slightly. _This is not going to be easy …it would probably be best to take the direct, frontal-assault approach._

"Kid, I know you ain't from around here … or from this planet. I saw you fall from the sky, I saw you shining like a lightning-bug and I saw that you ain't got no normal tattoo on you're chest." He continued boldly. If this kid was some sort of scout for alien forces, Vector was prepared to send him packing. "Kid, I want some straight answers. And I want them _now_."

Kado faced the reptile and realized something. Vector wasn't being overly aggressive; he was just being stern and firm to get the important answers that he needed. Nothing more. Kado decided that he might as well give as many truthful answers as needed.

"OK. What's your first question?" Was what he answered the reptile with while sitting down on the king-sized bed in the center of the room.

"Where do you really come from?" Was Vector first question.

"I don't know the name of the world I was born on, but most of my life I spent in the Dark." Kado answered, truthfully.

"The dark?"

"Yeah," Kado whispered back, "The Dark …"

'_**This is your new home, the Dark.'**__ That was when I had first heard His voice. _

_I was only the age of eight years at the time and very susceptible to change. But the memories of what home, family, and friends were still sung strongly in my mind at the time. I remember being confused at why I had to leave and asking the great monster beside me, "Why can't I stay at Mommy's house?" _

'_**Because, you're mine now.'**__ He had answered, using a tone of voice that most people had used to comment on the weather. __**'Like S'kullar and Cull'ark.'**_

"_What are they?" I had asked with the inexperience of a child. Of course, back then, I was._

'_**Who are they is a more appropriate question. They are mine and, like you, they are unique in many ways. Do you wish to meet them?' **__He had answered. _

"_Yes please," I answered Him. _

_He had then called his two minions using a low whistling sound I can no longer clearly remember or describe; maybe it was a bit like rumble mixed with a dessert wind … But when S'kullar and Cull'ark arrived I had more than enough on my young mind to be puzzled about._

_And then—_

And then I was pulled from my thoughts by Vector's next question.

"What is _the Dark_?"

I shook my head of its cobwebs and answered the best I could. "The accumulated darkness of all the world's hearts?" That sounded more like a question then an answer so I also added, "But that's only what I've been told."

"You're confusin' me a bit but I think I understand enough. Why were you taken in the first place?"

"I'm a door, I think, and that's what He needs. But He also needs a key—,"

"Whoa, whoa there! You're goin' a bit to fast for me kid! Just answer me this; why were you taken to the 'Dark'? There have got to be nicer places out there besides a place named _that_!"

"It's where my m_-master_," I spat out the word like the bitter taste it was, "lives. He took me from my home, and brought me to his domain, the Dark. Then I belonged to Him."

"Well, why are ya' here then? Don't ya' have a home to get back too?"

_My home is as good as gone, I'm sure of that …_

_When I first saw Him, and his minions, I had been outside my home, playing in the old gnarled tree that stood near are house. The sky of my home was always dark, because we had no sun. We just had a moon that circled our lonely little world, bringing light, and then leaving darkness._

_My mother had run out of our home, crying my name. Because I had been nothing more that a child I thought it might been nothing more than a game, and waved from the top of are ancient tree. Then they had come upon us like a swarm; the Heartless and the black winged best that lead them. Him. _

_Among the larger monsters Cull'ark and S'kullar both ravaged my world as well but I didn't have the names to put to there faces yet; they had just been the scarier part of the nameless mass that flew in during the bloody moonset._

_Though my memory gets foggy at this point I'm sure I heard my mother scream before He saw me, hanging to the tree's old, brittle branches. He had then picked me up in his large talons right out of the tree and carried me away like a freshly picked fruit._

_Then I heard her call my name one last time before my mind went blank. _

_But, when I first met S'kullar and Cull'ark formally; the same exact day of my abduction … there had been blood on their claws and fangs. _

_Lots of blood._

All I said to Vector was, "Home wasn't an option and I didn't have much control over where I went, as long as it was way from there."

"OK," Vector slowly walked over to the office door and motioned for Kado to follow. "You can stay the night, but you got to at least talk to Shadow in the morning."

"_S-Shadow_?" I whispered, but I noticed the name had also gotten the little bee's attention to as he returned with a glass full to the brim with water.

We both had different reactions, I froze in place but Charmy dropped his glass of water and started franticly buzzing around.

_Crash._

_Not a shadow, not a shadow, not a shadow—_my mind went in a frantic circle just like the little bee buzzing around my head. Surely there couldn't be heartless here too?

Please _not a shadow—_

"Not Shadow Vector! NotShadownotShadownotShadow—," Charmy wailed in time with my frantic heart that pounded in my ears.

"Charmy calm down! _You _don't have to see Shadow! Charmy—," Vector chased the bee around their small office. Then he leaped for the bug and, _Crash_ … missed. Vector had landed squarely on his stomach, his chin smashed onto the floor. "Ouch … Charmy you better come over here now before I make_ you_ see Shadow too!"

The frantic buzzing blur slowed and landed on Vectors head, eyes wide and little knees shaking. "Y-you p-promise I won't have-ta Vector?" Charmy asked in the same way a child usually asks a parent to check under the bed for monsters.

"Cross my croc heart and hope 'ta die."

Charmy slid down Vectors ridged back and at the tip of Vector's tail his little wings buzzed and he was away again, into the bedroom and out of sight. Vector sighed and rubbed his now-smarting chin. "Ouch," He repeated. But then noticed Kado's frozen form and almost sighed in exasperation.

"A— … a shadow?" Kado dared to whisper.

"No kid, not _a_ shadow_ the_ Shadow. Shadow the hedgehog and as he says, the ultimate life-form." Vector watched the kid visibly relaxed and decided not to ask why he was so scared of a shadow.

_At least not for now_. Vector thought, but said, "Look kid, even though you almost drowned an hour ago you should probably go get a drink. There's a snack room up on the second floor, second door on the right, there's a water jug and cups. Get back soon though, its 11:36 and I think we should all get at least a little sleep before the sun starts to rise."

"Kay," Kado said, and walked out the office door, shutting it softly behind him.

"So? What's the guy's story?" Espio asked from the leather chair behind the lone desk that he had sat unnoticed behind during the hole incident.

Vector finally let out the sigh he had been holding back and leaned his back on the wall. "Look Espi, I hardly believe it myself but 'ere it is—," And Vector continued to tell Espio what happened, word for word.

The door whispered again from across the hall as Kado left Vector's 'home'. This time he heard a bit of what it was saying. It sounded a bit like, _"…ere…com…he…e co…"_

But Kado turned the other way, ignored the voice, and walked toward the stairwell he had seen earlier. He walked upward slowly, a thousand questions running through his mind but none presenting any straight answers.

_Second floor, second door on the right …_

The room was easy enough to find. Inside there was a water jug with cups, like Vector said, a vending/snack machine and a coffee maker.

_Gee, I wonder if they live of this stuff …There wasn't a kitchen in their apartment. Of course, I've lived of worse …_

He grabbed one of the glass cups that was present and started filling it.

_I wonder if I can stay here. They might just drive me out. Friends? Ha, who was I kidding? The gator felt sorry for me and pulled my sorry carcass out of the canal, nothing more besides getting me dried off and giving me a new set of clothes._

Kado slowly decided what he was to do next. Weighing his options he decided he should take a look at the whispering door more closely first. A door had gotten him out of the last world, maybe another would get him out of this one. Goals set, Kado turned to leave with his glass of water—only to find himself no longer alone.

Another person, wait … another animal-hybrid had entered to room. A black creature with spike-like hair that put Kado's to shame and two more sticking out from its back. Black fur covered its short body, roughly five feet tall Kado stood about a head taller than it. It had blood-red highlights on all of its spikes to match its blood-red eyes. Kado thought it looked vaguely like a hedgehog.

"Excuse me," Kado said politely, trying to go around. The hedgehog moved to stand in his way. "Um …"

"Are you Kado?" The hedgehog's voice sounded cold, his red eyes seemed to Kado like polished rubies. The hedgehog also wore white gloves, along with shoes that seemed to be made of metal; gold bracelets glinted on his wrists and ankles.

Kado hesitated.

"Are you Kado?" The hedgehog repeated the question.

"Yes?" Kado said, wondering why it mattered.

"Good. Come with me. Unless you would like to talk here?" The hedgehog said his last sentence as a question, giving Kado the small choice.

"Here's fine."

"Good." The hedgehog walked over to the coffee machine in the corner; his metal shoes clicking on the floor. He started the machine up, then said with his back turned, "Are you from another world?"

"Yes," Kado said, sipping the water he had gotten a moment before.

"Do you know of the Black Arms?"

"W—what?" Kado said, betraying his confusion.

"Have you heard of the Chaos Emeralds?" The hedgehog shot out.

"No, wha—,"

"What is the name of the world you come from?"

"The Dark, why—,"

"How did you get here?"

"A door!" Kado let his infuriation show.

The hedgehog turned, not even a hint of a smile on his face. "A door?" He inquired.

"Yes …,"

"How was it made?"

"Someone else made it, I don't know how."

"So you told Vector the truth?"

"Yes."

"Good. That makes my job easier."

"Who are you?" Kado asked quickly, before he was interrupted again.

The hedgehog seemed to stare at Kado with his eyes as heard as stone, until he said with strength in his quiet words, "I am Shadow."

_Shadow …? So this is Shadow. He seems cold, but strong … like an icicle I guess—No wonder Charmy was scared of seeing him, he has as much emotion as a Nobody—_

"Now, to important matters," Shadow turned around again and began to poor himself some coffee. "How can a door traverse worlds? Worlds can only be traveled to by things like spaceships to my knowledge." His voice was slightly scorning, but also neutral. "How can a door bring you from there to here, and send you falling from the sky?"

Kado stared at the hedgehogs spiked back and answered, "I don't know."

"Well neither do I, and if you stay here much longer G.U.N. may decide to hunt you down." Shadow stirred the coffee in the cup he had grabbed.

"Why?" Kado asked. It was the only question he could think of.

"Well, we recently had a bad … experience with things not from this world. They called themselves the Black Arms and they nearly destroyed us." Shadow sipped his coffee, and then continued. "Their leader was Black Doom. And he would have succeeded in his conquest too."

"What stopped them?" Kado asked. An army of _things_ destroyed his world; he wanted to know why this world survived while his home perished under the darkness.

Shadow was silent, he had stopped sipping his coffee but he didn't turn around. "I did." He said.

Kado would have gapped in disbelief before his time in the Dark, but know the concept of this small creature destroying an army wasn't so hard to swallow. _One shadow-Heartless can destroy a human army, so why shouldn't this Shadow be able to do the same?_

"Kado, right?"

"Yeah"

"How are you going to leave?"

At least I could smile at that. "Through a door of course." His expression was still masked at I couldn't tell whether Shadow as amused or annoyed. But I tried anyway to imagine an amused expression on his frowning face but failed.

So Kado turned to walk out of the room a second time and went to the stairway. Shadow fallowed casually, but silently, behind.

_No he's not like an_ _icicle; he's more like a piece of jade. Hard and no matter how much you rub it, it stay's cold. He really _is_ like a shadow though…_

They reached ground floor, Kado's feet slapping onto the tiled floor while Shadow's shoes made little clicking noises that easily blended into the silence. The entrance door was whispering again.

"_Come … here … I … take … to … other … come …_"

Kado looked at the hedgehog behind him. Shadow just looked right back with his arms folded. 'I'm waiting,' was written all over his body posture. Kado took a deep breath and tried to make a connection to the old door in front of him.

'_I'm here,'_ Kado tried to Mindspeak.

It must of gotten though because the door answered with, "_Come here … I will take … you to … key …,_"

Kado didn't like the sound of a 'key' but if this door could take him somewhere else he would gladly risk an encounter with key bearers. He remembered what his mother taught him about keys, it was an important lesson.

_Keys open doors. We are doors. If you are opened by the wrong key you will be lost. Do you here me Kado? Lost. Assume all keys are the wrong key until you are sure. And believe me Kado, you will know when you are sure._

Kado reached out his hand and grasped the doorknob. As he turned it he heard a soft click, like something being unlocked.

"Well?" Shadow asked.

"Goodbye," Kado said cheerfully. _Goodbye planet Mobius_, Kado thought silently.

Then he opened the door.

Now where will Kado end up next... ;)


	3. Hi Blaine

The dream— no, the nightmare had been plaguing Sora far too much of late. He began sleeping more often in the sand of their island getaway and also during classes. Riku and Kari were starting to get worried. Sora knew the nightmare would come again tonight like it had the past several nights. But he still couldn't remember what it was, and that was the infuriating part.

Sora looked out to the beautiful crystal clear sea that always seemed to sparkle. The mainland wasn't to far away from the island and that was where they all went to school. Twilight Town High, or TTH for short, was the school they went to now.

_It's so weird …_ Sora thought as he sat down beneath one of the many palm trees that dotted the beach. _They used to be separate worlds, but now their one …_

It seemed that things had connected while he and Riku were gone.

_Lots of things have changed, Riku's changed, Kairi's changed, my world has changed … but have I changed?_ Sora picked up a small twig and began to draw in the sand. Riku and Kairi were at the library today studying, and Sora was left to himself. _I shouldn't just sit here, I should at least study for tomorrow's finals._

Sora got up to go home and do just that. But as he began walking he began to day dream.

_I wonder how Donald and Goofy are doing … and the King should be happy to be home with Queen Minnie again. I wonder if Daisy got mad at Donald for taking so long to find the King …I hope Pluto's doing ok too—wait, why did I go here? _Sora found himself in front of the cave he and his childhood friend's 'Secret Place'. Sora was about to turn around and go home when he heard a sound from inside. It wouldn't have registered to most people as important. In fact most wouldn't have even heard it, but Sora did. It was the soft _click_ of a door being unlocked.

In an instant the Kingdom Keyblade was in his had and he raced down the tunnel into the small cave he and his friends called their 'Secret Place.' His eyes adjusted to the dark quickly and he arrived just in time to see the old wooden door open, but he didn't arrive quickly enough to prevent it from happening. The door slowly began to swing open, creaking from neglect and protesting being moved after such a long period of stillness.

A boy tumbled out of the door and the door snapped shut. Sora watched as the boy tripped and gripped the wall for support, his breathing seemed ragged. But then the boy locked eyes with Sora and his breathing stopped and Sora tensed, gripping his Keyblade.

"Who are you?" Sora asked through the silence that gripped them both.

"Kado." The boy whispered, his voice was scratchy and his dilated eye's seemed to glow with fear in the darkness.

Sora felt himself relaxing. _What did you expect?_ He asked himself. _Heartless? Nobodies? A monster?_ He could have laughed at himself, and he would have if Kado hadn't slid to the floor taking deep ragged breaths.

"Hey, are you OK?" Sora asked worriedly. "I didn't mean to scare you." Kado scrambled away from Sora like he was infected with the black plague and his ragged breathing echoed throughout the small chamber once more. Then Sora noticed the kids eyes were locked not on him but on what he was holding, his Keyblade. As it disappeared in a small shimmer of light Sora heard Kado's breathing steady somewhat. "Sorry," Sora said. "Why are you scared of my Keyblade?"

Kado looked up into the cerulean eyes and felt somewhat comforted. Sora's eye's were kind and warm, unlike the yellow eyes of the heartless he had seen for so long. "Because," Kado began to explain for what felt like the tenth time, "I'm a door. And—,"He added, just for the kind blue eyes that stared at him through the darkness, "Key's unlock doors."

Sora felt like he could laugh at the poor kid in front of him. _A door!_ Sora thought, _a door is a solid object between inside and outside, not a person!_ But still …

"How did you get here? Where are you from?"

Kado was beginning to hate questions and he was getting deja-vu. "I walked through the door," He waved at the old plank of wood off to the side, "And I'm from the Dark." Kado felt like saying 'There! Are you happy now?' but the question never got past his lips.

The Keyblade was back in Sora's hands and Kado couldn't breathe. It seemed to burn his eyes but he couldn't pull then away from its beauty, it seemed to pulse with a heart beat, and it illuminated the cavern slightly. Then he could see Sora fully. Tearing his eyes from the hypnotic blade he got a good look at Sora.

_So that's why he could make the '_door of light'_ in the Darkness, he was a key bearer!—_

"Do you have a heart?"

Kado shook his head in a vain attempt to clear it. His limbs felt like lead, and everything was beginning to blur. With one last deep breath he answered with, "Yeah, and you don't mind I'm going to pass out now." Then he let his body go limp, Keyblade in his face or not.

Sora watched a red-haired boy pass out and held himself back from going to his aide. It could be a trap. He slowly counted to twenty. The boy stayed slumped on the cave floor, his chest rising and falling, his fingers twitching slightly now and again. Then Sora slowly went to the red haired boy's side.

_But first—_

Keyblade raised, Sora locked the door with a satisfying _clink_.

_No more unannounced arrivals._

Sora then sat down on the ground by the sleeping Kado_. Just when I think things were settling down to a normal tempo a 'door' comes out of the Dark. The Dark._

Whatever feeling of fear that was beginning to build was lost as a yawn racked his body. He leaned back and forgot about the other boy sleeping on the floor close by.

_Just a minute,_ he thought to the world. _Just a bit of sleep…_

Then many sleepless, nightmare filled nights and troublesome, foggy days caught up to him and Sora fell into oblivion.

* * *

The Twilight Town Library was a quiet place to study, catch up on school work, read, and have private discussions when you wanted to. Kairi had been pestering Riku to go there with her to 'talk' about what had been happening with Sora recently.

"Riku, I'm really worried about Sora," Kairi said, trying to get her point across. "He's been so out of it lately, I mean, you know he would always day dream and snooze on the beach, but this is different—,"

"_Shhh_," the librarian hissed.

"—he's been disappearing," Kairi whispered, "and falling asleep wherever he drops, and that's not healthy Riku!"

"I know Kairi," Riku said gently, trying to calm down his worked up friend. "But he'll work this out on his own. We have all been though a lot these past few years and Sora had the weight of the worlds dumped on his shoulders. He's had to face monsters and kill them all, or be killed. If we just give him some time to work himself out—,"

"Riku," Kairi interrupted. "I don't think Sora _can_ work himself out—,"

_Ring-ring-ring_, Kairi's cell phone rang.

"_Shhh!_" The librarian hissed again.

Riku leaned back in his chair and waited for Kari to finish her call.

"Hello?," Kairi answered. "Oh hi— … no? What? No don't worry, we'll find him. Yeah, bye!" Kairi hung up with a worried look.

"Sora's missing."

"What?" Riku sat up straighter.

"His mom said that he went out to the island on his boat but didn't come back. She's worried that something may have happened—,"

"How long has he been missing?"

"His mom said that he'd been gone since this morning."

Riku would have smiled at the mother's and Kairi's overreaction, but he didn't want to get Kairi any more freaked out that she already was. So instead he said, "Kairi, maybe Sora just fell asleep on the beach again, lost track of time, and is on his way back now."

Kairi knew from those words that Riku wasn't going to help her. "Fine, "She said as she stood and turned away. "I'll just go by myself."

"Wait Kairi—," But she was already gone. Out of the library and on her way to the docks. "Oh Kairi …" Riku sighed. Why did girls have to be so dramatic about everything they did?

Kairi, on the other hand, was wondering why guys like Riku had to be so 'he should do this on his own.' But as she walked her anger decreased and her uneasiness only grew. Something was going to happen; she felt it with every step she took. The sun was setting and the sky seemed alight with vibrant colors but she couldn't appreciate the beauty tonight. She had a friend to find.

"Excuse me?" Someone asked. She ignored the person and kept on walking.

"Excuse me?" The boy asked again, and again Kairi ignored him. She had more important things to think about than blue-haired boys.

* * *

_What's her problem?_ Blaine thought to himself. _When someone asks you something your supposed to answer …_

'**Blaine forget her and get the door!**_'_ He heard the growling voice of Cull'ark in his head. '**My Lord will then be satisfied and we can go back to the Dark.**_'_

'_Hush Cull'ark.'_ Blaine dared to Mindspeak back. _'If we get your Lord back his door along with information on the Keyblade Bearers he will surely be pleased with that!'_

Blaine heard Cull'ark growl a small affirmative and pull out of his mind. Blaine knew from the descriptions that this girl had been with the two that had destroyed the Organization, and if she had been with them she could be useful in … many ways. So he followed her as she walked and kept his eyes peeled for any that had been with her in the World that Never Was.

When she reached the docks he watched at a distance as she began to untie her boat. He decided now would be the time to approach. The search for the Lords 'door' could wait, he wanted to work on his abilities of gaining another's trust …

_I'll just row there myself and make sure Sora's alright_. Kairi told herself as she prepared to cast off. But as she undid the last knot someone walked up behind her. She tried to ignore the blue-haired boy that had been bothering her before.

"Excuse me?" He said again. Kairi suppressed a sigh and turned around to face the interloper. He had blue hair that hung limply down to his chin and a harp strapped to his back. His ice-blue eyes seemed masked as he spoke to her. "I was wondering if I could go with you to the island."

Kairi was surprised he would be so forward about it. Then she grew suspicious. "Why do you want to go?"

"I'm … looking for someone." _Well that's true enough_, "He's my brother, and he's a bit feeble minded—," _Might as well through that in_, "His name is Kado and he's always running off to the most remote places." _Well, he lives in a _very_ remote place_, "I think he may have hitched a ride to the island this morning." _And if I played my cards right she'll be pitying enough to take me there with her …_

"Well … I'm looking for someone too," Kairi thought a moment. "If you row I'll help you look for your brother. Me and my friends used to play on the island all the time."

_Perfect_. "Thank-you! I was beginning to think I would have to swim there!"

"I'm sure someone would have given you a lift. Hop in, we need to get going or we won't make it there before dark."

Blaine got into the boat, helped Kairi in, and began to row.

'**Blaine, I know you like the girls but we need to find the door**_!'_ Cull'ark was back in Blaine's head.

'_Easy Cull, the Lord needs a key too right?'_ Blaine reminded Cull'ark and gave a kind smile to Kairi as he rowed.

'**Yes, he has been interested in keys lately …'**

'_Then why not give him the Keyblade Master! The best possible key in all the worlds we can give him!'_

'**You've been looking into the girls thoughts …?'**

'_Yes, and the Keyblade Master has been … falling into dark of late.'_

'**Oh?'**Now Cull'ark sounded interested.

'_The girl may not know the signs, but I do. Spend enough time fighting the dark and—,'_

'**And you become it. But what about the door? We must not forget our mission Blaine.'**

'_Easy Cull'ark, the door and key are always connected. Once we find the key, I bet you we'll find the door.'_

'**Yes, but remember Blaine I cannot come to your aide until darkness descends. You have around a half-hour until I can freely move about.'**

'_And I'll be glad not to see your ugly face.'_

'**Oh? Well, good luck music maker.'**

'_See-ya soon you ugly snake-hound.'_

'**Hahaha …'** And Cull'ark's voice faded from Blaine's mind. Blaine rowed with powerful confident strokes and he was sure he could get himself to the island before dark. After all, Cull'ark would just get in the way of his plans.

_I'll get the Keyblade Master and force him to open the door_, He smiled again at the girl sharing the boat. She was looking out at the island they were approaching and not paying attention to Blaine's actions. He let his smile change into a grin, revealing his white, pointed canines._ But I could have some fun with her first …_

* * *

_Ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump. _

_A heartbeat? Its not my heartbeat … Wait, where am I?_ Kado slowly moved his stiff limbs and stretched. He felt the sand under him and his feet touch a stone wall. Then he opened his eyes and saw the sleeping figure close by. _Oh, the Keyblade Barer … why would he just go and, wait …_ Kado listened to Sora's deep even breathing, the way his body was completely relaxed as he laid there.

Kado guessed he had to be very worn-out to just collapse on the spot like that.

_Just as worn out as me—_

But then Kado heard something besides there heartbeats in the cave, he 'heard' a Mindspeak conversation going on close by. And getting closer. He couldn't make out the words but he got the 'feel' of who was talking.

_Cull'ark and … who? Not S'kullar or Him … then who …? No time to ponder_, Kado scolded himself. _Just time to run._

Kado slowly stood, testing his body. He felt refreshed and relaxed as he slowly stretched to wake his body up. But before he explored the cavern for an exit he took a closer look at the Keyblader laid before him.

_He looks tired and strained. I wonder why he would look that way …_ Kado wondered to himself. _But there is no doubt about it; he _is_ one of the two I saw in the Dark. I can't just leave him here for Cull'ark and whoever is with him to find … I know! _Kado smiled at the plan unfolding in his mind. _It could work … but it'll be risky for me. _

Kado again looked at the helpless figure in front of him. _Plan A, wake him up._

Kado knew he shouldn't even touch a Keybearer, but he was indebted to the teen so he bend down and shook Sora's shoulder gently. The Keyblade master remained oblivious. Kado shook a bit harder.

No reaction.

_Oh great …_

"Hey!" Kado yelled. The one word echoed and then the cave resumed its silence, but Sora still remained dead to the world. Kado was beginning to think he would have to use Plan B. He was about to rise and walk to the small exit he saw when he felt something, no, _heard_ something strange. He lowered his head to Sora's chest and listened intently on the beating heart within.

And his eyes widened in horror with what he heard.

Blaine slowly eased the boat to the dock Kairi had pointed out to him and she jumped off and began to tie the boat down with an obviously trained hand.

Blaine was agitated at himself for not getting to the island before dark, but tried to keep the expression off of his face.

"You seem to know what you're doing," Blaine commented as he put the oars down and began to climb out of the small boat.

"Well, I've had to learn." He said over her shoulder as she walked along the dock she had walked along a thousand times. "The guys can't always come to my rescue now can they?"

_Well no they can't …_ "So, where should we start looking?" Blaine asked Kairi as he surveyed the island. Night had just fallen and from what he could see in the darkness there wasn't much to comment on, just sand, wood, trees, green stuff, and rocks.

"There's one place they might be, I'll check it out and you can look along the shoreline." Kairi had already started of in a direction of the small clear water spring. "If there not in the cave I'll help you on the shoreline."

_Man is she bossy_, "Kay," Blaine had just began walking when he heard a shout of surprise. "Sora—?"

A small spiky haired figure took of running from the direction Kairi had just gone. It was heading right for Blaine. _Jackpot!_

Blaine moved to intercept the figure but it expertly dogged and ran right past him. After a second of staring at his empty hands Blaine took of running after the ghost-like figure as it ran through the dark.

_Damn he's fast—_

'**Do you require assistance?'**Cull'ark asked.

'_I don't need the help of a stinking mutt like you.'_

'**Oh, a bit agitated are we?'**

'_Shove off.'_ His prey kept eluding his hands by mere millimeters.

'**I could just trip him for you.'**

'_And I could just shove one of you scaly tails up your—,'_

'**Now, now. No need to be testy music maker. Why not just use your harp?**_'_

'_My music would work but then I'd be drained to the point of collapsing you brainless mongrel.'_ How the hell did this guy run so fast?

'**Oh yes, you had to use quiet a lot of your power just getting to this world didn't you?'**

'_Damn—'_ Blaine took a leaping jump at the elusive figure and missed, getting a face full of sand. _'— Straight …'_

'**I would love to watch you struggle some more but it is in my best interests if I just stop this game now.'** Blaine watched from the ground as the darkness below the runners feet turn murky and purple. A long tendril rapped around his feet and Blaine heard him call out as his feet were swept from under him and he took a painful spill.

"You shouldn't have interfered." Blaine said aloud, knowing Cull'ark was hidden somewhere within the shadows of night.

'**And let you have all the fun of falling on your face?'**

"Shut up and let me take a look at the so called Keyblade Mas—," Blaine turned the struggling boy over and met with a surprise. "—ter?" It was not a blue-eyed and brown haired Keyblade Master he held pined, but a gray-eyed and red haired Door.

"Kado?" He said in surprise. He hadn't expected to really find the Door here of all places.

_I should of recognized Blaine's tone of Mindspeak_, Kado silently cursed himself. "Hi Blaine.

* * *

**Aw look, they know eachouther...**


	4. Dark Shard

"It _is_ you Kado!" Blaine was very happy to catch such a prize, until Cull'ark interrupted.

'**The girl is searching for you, and the other is coming.'**

Blaine would have ignored the little voice in his head but the last comment drew his attention. "The other is coming?"

Kado squirmed more franticly under Blaine's iron hold on him.

'**The one who fell into darkness.'**

"Oh, that one. He may pose a problem."

'**Too late, the other has already here and talking to the girl.'**

Blaine grit his teeth and tightened his hold on Kado, grinning his toothy smile at the boy's small yelp of pain. "You just love giving me updates on how my plan is falling apart don't you?"

'**Yes I do. I most certainly do.'**

"Mutt."

'**Snake.'**

"I hate to interrupt," Kado said from beneath Blaine, "But if you don't mind I'd like to be on my way—,"

Kado abruptly brought his head forward, slamming it into Blaine's nose. His captor otherwise immobilized Kado scrambled up and ran into the nearby forest of coconut trees.

Blaine would have cursed but he was occupied by the laughing voice in his head and the crimson liquid streaming out of his nose. Cutting off a stream of anger pulsing through him Blaine tried to concentrate on his nose. He deepened his breathing and collected some of the power he had left.

"Cure …"

The pain from his nose and the flow of blood coming through his fingers stopped and Blaine breathed in a sigh of relief.

'**Now wasn't that a brilliant strategy. Hahahaha! What are you going to do next run into a couple of trees? Be careful not to get hit by falling coconuts!' **Cull'ark mocked.

"Be quiet or I'll—,"

'**Or you'll what? Go crying to your mistress? You know my Lord is master over her.'**

Blaine wiped the still present blood from his face and used a clean corner of his shirt to wipe the rest off his hands and arms. Most of the blood had fallen into the sand and was easily hidden but a good amount of Blaine's shirt had also been splattered in the crimson liquid. _Shit, how am I going to explain this?_

'**Well …'**Cull'ark drawled.

"'_Well_' what you son of a—,"

Cull'ark cut off his comment. **'You could just say you're younger … 'brother' has hurt himself and when you tried to calm him down he ran away. The blood could have gotten on you from one of his wounds during any time in the story. Your choice when exactly.' **

Blaine was surprised; Cull'ark wasn't usually a well of knowledge. In fact, Cull'ark was an insensible monster most of the time.

_The way that beast goes after hearts it's a wonder he's not a real heartless._ Blaine thought to himself as he got up and started in the direction of the dock.

_Oh well, can't dwell in things lost. I might as well meet the 'other' Keyblade wielder and tell the girl how my poor, impaired brother hurt himself and ran off._

Blaine smiled a cold cruel smile as another thought came to mind.

_And of course before they see Kado he'll have to be bleeding … and who say's he can't have a broken arm as well?_ Blaine let his smile widen for a moment, then he carefully schooled his face to look worried and nervous.

_I'm going to have to work hard to try and pull this one off._

Kado ran from the wounded Blaine like the hounds of hell were upon him. The grove of nearby coconut trees was perfect for cover and within easy in reach so that was what he bee-lined for.

It was night and Kado kept a wary eye on the darker shadows, just in case Cull'ark tried tripping him again. As he went deeper and deeper into relative safety he slowed and allowed himself ho catch his breath.

_There was a girl there, was she with Blaine? But she said the Keyblade Masters name, so does she know him? If she's not with Blaine is he just going to toy with her until he gets me?_

Questions buzzed in Kado's mind like a hive of stirred up wasps. As he came to a stop he rested against a tree, taking deep breaths to get the needed oxygen to his muscles he closed his eyes to concentrate to try and answer some the more straight forward questions. Kado decided to line up the information he knew to piece together a good strategy of what to do next besides run.

_The Lord wants me back, so he sent Blaine and Cull'ark to search for me. Blaine wasn't just after me; he is also after the Keyblade master. Blaine brought a girl along that knows the Keyblade master. _

Kado opened his eyes and looked up beyond the large leaves of the trees around him and looked through to the bright stars that illuminated the dark landscape.

_Blaine could use the girl against Sora to get him to come peacefully_, Kado winced as he brought his hand up to his head to gently probe the spot that had connected with Blaine's nose. _But he probably won't need to thanks to the condition Sora's in._

Kado reached outward with his power to 'see' where everyone was. The Keyblade master was still where Kado had left him; the girl was on the dock with Blaine, Cull'ark lurking in Blains shadow. And then there was one more … Kado concentrated harder, trying to 'feel' who it was, then let a smile come upon his face.

_This probably wasn't in Blaine's plans …_

Kairi worked her way back to the dock to see if she could spot Blaine on the shore when she heard a familiar voice ring out. She could barley see him through the darkness but she knew it was him.

"Kairi!" Riku called. He was securing his boat to the dock and working to tighten in the last knots on his rope. Once that task was done he ran over to the waiting Kairi. "Sorry I'm late, but I had to get my priorities straight."

"I'm just glade you came!" Kairi said with relief in her voice. "Sora's in the Secret Place but—,"

"Good! You found him!" Riku interrupted, looking around, "But where's the lazy lump now?"

"He's still in the Secret Place but Riku—,"

"Who's that?" Riku interrupted yet again, and pointed out across the shore to the blue haired boy approaching.

"That's Blaine; he came with me to look for his brother. He ran out across the shore chasing him but I guess he got away."

Once Blaine got close enough to see clearly from the dock Riku not only noticed the blood stains on his shirt, but he also notice the shadow Blaine had.

Riku tensed, both he and Kairi had no shadows on this dark night and a chill went down his spine.

"Kairi, did you notice his shadow—,"

"Yes." This time Kairi was the one who interrupted. She summoned her Keyblade and Riku did the same.

Blaine froze, at first he looked confused but then he noticed the long dark shadow trialing from him and the shadow-less ground around the Keybladers feet.

"_Shit_—," Then the shadow jumped from the ground at his feet and grew, forming what looked like a hideous monster …

Kado was running again, this time to a place instead of away from a person. He kept as much to the foliage and available cover as possible to keep from being seen while ducking and weaving around obstacles.

Now that Cull'ark and Blaine are busy I can get out of here!

Kado watched a bit of the fighting as he got nearer to the cave. Cull'ark was as hard to look at as ever, but Kado had a good view of his 'good side.' This half of Cull'ark was very wolfish in appearance and he had a long feathered wing beating at the air and a dog-like tail thumping, trying to knock the other combatants down.

But one you saw his other side … a mismatch of scales and fur, a long scaled bat wing and a second tail that was long and whip like. Three of Cull'ark's legs were fur covered and mostly 'wolf.' But his right for claw was more like a gryphon's talons than a wolf's paw. But his eyes on both sides were the same, a blood red with a slit pupil. The ugly wolf/reptile-like creature almost looked like he was sown together by one very messed up doctor.

_Then again, maybe he was …_

Kado was able to get to the cave without being noticed and crawled in quickly through the small entrance. Once on the inside he stopped to check the Keyblader's heart beat one more time, to make sure he was certain of what he heard.

As he pressed his ear to the taller teen's chest he felt the coolness of the skin through the fabric of his clothes. A coolness where there should have been warmth and life. But there, still intertwined with the beating of the Keyblade Master's heart was a pulsing of something else. Something that shouldn't be there.

Kado sat on the ground and crossed his legs Indian style. He placed his fingers to his head and started massaging his temples.

_How could someone put something like that in someone's heart? More importantly, how am I going to get it out?_

Kado grit his teeth together in frustration. _There has to be a way—_

Kado jerked his head up as he felt Blaine and Cull'ark retreat into a dark portal. Riku and Kairi were now coming to the cave to get Sora and try to wake him up.

_But the Keyblade Master won't wake up until the problem is fixed or problem was beyond all control or correction! I have to fix it now before it's too late!_

Kado gathered some power from his center and decided he would have to keep them out with the little magic he knew.

"Reflecta—,"

Kado made sure that the Reflecta shield he put up was non-see through, fed it as much of his power that he could spare, and then began. This was something he had to do.

"Damn damn damn damn—," Blaine said again and again as Cull'ark led him through the portal the he had made. Both were bleeding in several places, but Cull'ark had the only serious injury with a large gash on his left foreleg.

'**Blaine please stop.'**

"Why!? We have neither the key _or_ the door and my Mistress is probably going to use me as a meal for her Heartless! I want to curse while I still can Cull'ark!" Blaine let the desperation show in his voice. He didn't care about upholding a calm demeanor, the thought of being surrounded by yellow eyes and long black claws tearing out his heart was enough to send him over his limit.

'**But we still have information.'**

"What information!? Last I checked we were beaten, bruised, and running with are tails between are legs!" Blaine said, beginning to sound hysterical.

'**Ah, but I did some poking about before you arrived on the island. It seems the key hole in Twilight Town is not properly sealed. And there is something … strange about the door, Kado.'**

"What do mean strange? He's a freakin' door! Open, close, that's all doors can do Cull'ark!"

'**Doors don't just open and close Blaine.'** Cull'ark said evenly**. 'They keep things out, or let them in. They can be locked, then broken through or opened , then walked through. Doors can also lock things away. Powerful things.'**

Blaine calmed for a minute, puzzled.

'**Kado has a powerful being locked behind him Blaine. Something very powerful.'**

"But … how are we supposed to use this to our advantage?"

'**We report as usual, but we leave out some important facts. Like you falling flat on your face—,'**

"And you feasting on hearts while we were in Twilight Town." Blaine added snidely.

Cull'ark turned to look the small human accompanying him straight in the face, his red eyes burning. **'How did—,'**

Blaine once again felt at peace with himself after the threat of punishment was gone. So he decided to share a secret with Cull'ark, just this once. "You don't just go into my mind you know. I can also dip into yours. Well, the surface thoughts anyway."

Despite his flare of anger, Cull'ark was impressed. **'You have only been Mindspeaking for a short while, yet you show great promise.'**

"My sister is better at it, and so is Lady Cifenta Elm." Blaine protested weakly, not used to such praise from Cull'ark. "Lady Cifenta can touch our minds from a world away."

'**And what of the powers of your Mistress Maleficent?' **

Blaine bristled. "My Mistress' power is of none of your concern. But what of your Master? Sorely he should have the greatest Mindspeak powers of all?"

It was Cull'ark's turn to bristle, only he did so visibly with his fur/scales rising on his back. **'My Master can turn your mind to dusk without even thinking about it Snake!'**

"My Mistress wouldn't allow your _lizard_ of a master to, Mongrel!"

'**GGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAA!'** Cull'ark was beyond sensible words at this point.

He simply roared his anger at Blaine vocally and mentally, causing Blaine to double over holding his head in his hands and screaming. Cull'ark then grabbed Blaine roughly with his taloned hand (The only limb of Cull'ark's capable of grabbing something securely because of its thumb.) and brought Blaine up to his eye level, which was about ten feet off of the ground.

'**If you ever … EVER … insult my Master again …'** Cull'ark growled, his Mindspeak voice low, threatening and laired with anger, **'I will kill you Blaine.'**

Then Cull'ark dropped the stunned Blaine, none to gently, and continued down the dark path he had formed, no longer Mindspeaking.

Blaine watched Cull'ark's retreating figure with a fear he had never felt before. He had always had control of every situation he had ever been in, but not this time. He picked himself up, dusted himself off, and stumbled after the now silent beast wondering quietly to himself how such a pleasant conversation turned into a shout match. And how quickly Cull'ark's mood had turned feral.

_You just can't trust smart beasts, they know when your lying, can smell when your scared… and are smart enough to kill you when you're not useful anymore._

* * *

Riku and Kairi walked to the Secret Place, covered in small scratches and bruises. A quick potion would do them both some good, but they had other things besides themselves on their minds. 

"Kairi, what do you mean 'he won't wake up?'" Riku inquired. He tried to sound casual, but inside he was beginning to become panicked.

"Exactly what I said Riku, he just … I shook him and tried talking to him, but he wouldn't … he wouldn't wake up …" Kairi stopped talking. That sounded like the way Kairi herself had been when she had lost her heart. Riku began to walk faster.

"Kairi, there was another person on the island right?"

"Yeah, Kido, uh, no that's not right … oh! Kado! Blaine said that he was his younger brother, but after seeing the blood on his shirt …" Kairi let her sentence fade out as they began to get close to the Secret Place. Riku had to maneuver a bit to get into the small entrance he had once easily fit into when he and Sora were kids.

"I don't think … Kado's hurt too badly." Riku called back to Kairi as she began to enter.

"Why? I haven't seen him since Blaine took chase—," Kairi stopped mid-sentence to gape at the barrier in front of them, effectively cutting them off from the main cavern and from Sora.

"Because then he would be using a Cure spell instead of a Reflecta spell." Riku said without a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Then he called the Way to Dawn Keyblade and began hacking at the barrier. Kairi soon came out of her shock and joined him with her still nameless Keyblade.

* * *

Kado didn't look up from his work as he felt Kairi and Riku start breaking down his shield. The operation was delicate and required his full attention; he had never tried anything of this magnitude before and he wanted, no _had_, to get this right. 

Slowly and carefully, he began to move the Keyblader's heart to the outside corner of its vessel …

* * *

Riku saw Kairi falter during a swing, then increases her efforts tenfold. He quickly brought his own pace up, knowing that something had to be happening on the other side.

* * *

When a bit of the heart began to peek out of the fabric of Sora's shirt Kado was blinded. The small bit of Sora's heart illuminated the cave fully and Kado had to work hard not to falter in his work. Slowly, he began to turn the heart within Sora's chest so a different bit shown through. Kado continued turning, slowly increasing speed and scanning the surface, looking for the small piece that did not belong— 

"What the hell are you doing?!" A voice rang out within the cave. Kado flinched, and looked up for a second from the small, pulsing crystalline bit of heart before him.

If he wasn't used to stranger things, he would have gapped at the ghost in front of him. The transparent blond, spiky haired boy was clearly angry. His blue eyes seemed to blaze.

Kado looked away from the ghost and continued scanning the small bit of heart he could see in front of him, turning it to look at a different area, then repeating the process again.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!" The figure repeated, only louder. Its voice seemed to make the cavern shake.

Kado ignored the ghost as best he could, even when the ghost summoned a pair of transparent Keyblades, causing a shiver to go down his spine. The transparent figure tried slicing Kado with the Keyblades, but they just went through him.

Kado ignored the ghost trying to maim him and concentrated more on the slowly turning heart in front of him.

_I'm close._ He thought.

* * *

_Were close_, Riku thought to himself. _Just a bit more and this shield will give …_

The Reflecta Kado had put up had began to crack and split in places. They were going to break through soon …

* * *

Kado stopped spinning the heart and stared for a second at the small black shard protruding from its smooth, glowing surface. 

"What is t-that …?" The ghost had stopped trying to cut Kado down and was now staring with shock and revulsion at the thing on heart before the both of them.

"It shouldn't be there and I'm taking it out." Kado felt he had to give some sort of answer to the distressed spirit and then reached forward to pull out the black shard that pierced into the heart like a splinter.

He removed it carefully, and when it was completely out of the Keyblade Master's heart Kado let the heart sink back into Sora's chest. He was proud of himself for keeping the heart mostly within the Keyblader and not taking to long to remove it.

Kado turned his complete attention to the revolting bit of darkness in his hand and whispered, "Fire." The shard then obediently burst into flames, leaving nothing but harmless black ashes that fell to the ground.

But then Kado heard the other Keybladers bashing his Reflecta shield and decided he should go before they cut him down too. But as he turned to exit the way he came he saw the ghost was in front of him, blocking his rout of escape.

* * *

The shield was beginning to give at an increasing rate and Riku could almost make out the forms of the figures inside.

* * *

"How did you do that?" It seemed to demand an answer from Kado then and know. But Kado knew his time was quickly running out and tried to go through the ghost, but found it strangely solid; but like pudding instead of real flesh. 

Kado began to panic, if he didn't get out now …

Too late did he realize his barer could hold up no more and shattered into hundreds of pieces of shimmering light.

Riku and Kairi burst through the remains of the Reflecta and quickly took in the situation. A small boy with spiky red hair was gazing at them with a panicked look, Roxas seemed to be trying to keep him from the wooden door at the back of the cavern, and Sora was on the ground by the wall.

Kairi ran to Sora and Riku rushed to grab the frightened Kado. But of course, Kado proved difficult to catch; even in an enclosed space.

Riku approached the red haired boy slowly, with his keyblade raised. The boy backed up, trying to walk around the ghost in his way to get to the door. Riku watched with slight surprise as Roxas somehow blocked the kid physically when he seemed no more solid than a hologram to his eyes.

The smaller teen and ghost-nobody seemed just as surprised. The panicked look in the strangers grey eyes became more intense and his head seemed to snap this way and that as he franticly looked for another way out, another possible exit. But Riku tightened his grip on his weapon and tensed up, ready to catch the boy if he tried to bolt. And the kid did just that.

He moved with surprising speed and agility as he ran for the back exit of the friend's secret childhood getaway, but the small space of the wind-blown cave was too small to allow a lot of free movement, and even less was available when the cave was occupied by three young adults, a young teen, and a specter.

Poor Kado didn't have a chance.

When the stranger feinted right and ran left Riku easy caught him around the neck with his left arm and brought him to the ground. Using his far superior size and strength, Riku pined the boy beneath him using a move an older brother might do to one of his younger brothers. Riku barely heard Kairi talking to Sora as she tried to wake him up.

The red haired boy squirmed and wiggled like a worm under him and Riku had to pay strict attention to the boy as he violently swung his head about, probably trying to dislodge Riku anyway possible. Riku worked his right arm carefully around and placed the edge of his keyblade at the back of Kado's neck. All movement beneath him stopped as Riku pressed the keyblade gently down.

"Don't move." Riku ordered. His keyblade could easily cut through the boy's skin and bone if he dared move … or if Riku simply pressed down harder.

Kado did as he was told, though he barley heard Riku's voice over the keyblades pulsing heart beat.

_Rmm … vmm … vmm …_ The keyblade's sound seemed to pulse through him. _Rmm … vmm … vmm …_ The calming pulse seemed to purr as the cold metal touched his skin, though he was sure no one else in the small cave could hear it.

Kairi shook Sora's limp body as she had before, becoming more freaked out as every unresponsive second ticked by. But then, to Kairi's immense relief, Sora blinked at her and rolled over.

"Five more 'minuets …" Sora mumbled.

Kairi felt a large grin growing on her face and heard a relived sigh from Riku, who had caught the spiky haired boy know as 'Kado.'

Her grin turned mischievous as she stood up and aimed her keyblade up at the key. Riku saw the glint in her eye but didn't protest. She could use up her magic if she wanted to.

"Water!" She said and a small waterfall seemed to appear, quickly drenching the snoozing Sora and causing him to jump up in surprise. The fountain stopped soon after, but Sora was drenched from head to toe, his spiky chocolate brown-blond hair drooping and dripping.

"_Kairi_," He moaned rubbing his eyes, "that wasn't funny."

Still grinning, Kairi wrapped her arms around him. Drenched or not, he had given her a scare.

Riku watched in quiet amusement, still in the ground holding Kado down, at the immensely puzzled look on Sora's face. Sora brought his wet arms around Kairi and hugged back. Then he saw Riku on the ground holding his keyblade against the back of Kado's neck. Sora's eyebrows came together and he looked even more confused.

"Hey Sora," Riku said for the sake of conversation. "Have a nice nap?"


	5. Pt2

"_Jango up, Jango down_

_Jango smile, Jango frown_

_Weep your tears, say your prayers_

_No man hears, no man cares_

_Seek a, seek a, seek a door_

_Open wide for evermore"_

_Jango_, By William Nicholson

**Part 2: Paradise?**

Kairi released Sora from her loving hold and turned to look at Riku. Her grin was wide and joyful as she said, "Well, let's take a look at Bado, shall we?"

"Kado," Came the small reply from under Riku. His grey and still slightly fearful eyes looked up from the ground. "My name is Kado."

And one thing Kado didn't miss with his small, grey eyes was that the ghost had disappeared.

"Well Kado," Riku said coldly, keyblade still pressed against Kado's neck. "What were you and— … and …?" He shot a pleading glance at Kairi.

"Blaine?" She offered.

"Yeah, what were you and Blaine doing on our island?"

"I'm on an island?" Kado asked, amazement showing through the fear. He ignored Riku's question and wiggled his head around to address Sora. "This is your island?"

"No, it's not exactly _our _island," Sora said, still very confused. Then his eyes widened as he noticed the bruised and ruffed-up appearance of his friends. "What happened to you guys?"

"A guy named Blaine and a very big heartless," Kairi said in a matter-of-fact way. She seemed to puff up slightly in a proud manner. "Nothing we couldn't handle."

"And this kid we so recently found." Riku said. His emerald eyes seemed to shine in the gloom.

Sora was now shocked and confused.

"A _heartless_?" He gazed from Riku (STILL pinning Kado to the ground…) to Kairi.

"Not a heartless…" Kado mumbled to himself.

"What?" Sora asked, not close enough to hear Kado's words.

Kado seemed to shrink beneath Riku as they fixed there attention back to him. "The thing you guy's thought was a heartless … it's not a heartless."

Sora seemed to almost visibly relax, and Kado wondered why.

"Don't change the subject." Riku said. "What were you doing in here behind your Reflect spell?"

Kado couldn't turn to face his captor, or break free, so he decided the truth was best.

"I …" Kado stopped to think of the best way to explain without being too blunt about it.

"His heart," Kado jerked his head in Sora's direction. "Had something … wrong in it."

Silence. Sora and Kairi were staring at him and Kado could feel Riku's gaze burning holes into the back of his neck.

"So … I fixed it."

His words seemed to echo smoothly across the wind-worn walls. Kado wished he could just melt into the ground, he hated the way they stared.

"You—,"

"What?—,"

"How?—,"

The three Keybladers started gibbering at once. Kado winced slightly as there voices also echoed and quickly filled the cavern in a way his did not. He could still feel the Keyblade close to his neck, but it was no longer pressed against it. Riku's grip had also loosed slightly.

Kado thought now might be a good time to try to get to the door/exit just a yard away from where he was. So, he shoved violently upward with now-renewed strength and sent a now-surprised Riku backward into a wall.

Before any could react, he was on his feet and at the door.

_Free_, Kado thought as he griped the side of the door and yanked with all the might he could.

It didn't move an inch. As he stood there stupefied he heard the door whisper mournfully to him in a slow drawl like the other one spoke in. _"Locked … open … can't …"_

Kado felt the air shift as Sora leapt forward the grab him, and then a new, more familiar thought slipped into his head. _Flee._

Again his life in the Dark realm proved useful as he dodged past the unprepared Keybladers and through some small miracle ran out of the cave and into the dark welcoming night.

* * *

Sora couldn't believe what he had just heard. How did Kado _know_? How could this complete stranger know about the wrongness that had been going on inside his heart for the past two months since he had come home? About the problems that had been affecting his everyday life for the past three weeks and giving him dark, unremembered nightmares.

A question in the form of "How could you fix me?" Escaped his lips but was drowned out by Kairi and Riku's own questions. Sora couldn't look at Kado's face from the position he was in, so they got no warning when Kado suddenly pushed upward and Riku was slammed backward into the wall, head hitting first.

Before they could blink Kado was at the door.

Sora jumped to grab him but Kado seemed to since him and moved out of the way and Sora just stopped himself from hitting the wall face-first. Sora turned just in time to see Kado jump over the groaning, but rising Riku and around the still shocked Kairi.

Sora took chase, running around his friends and practically skinning his back on the low entrance to the Secret Place. He stopped and paused when he saw the sun had set and the stars twinkled above. Sora took a deep lung filling breath of familiar and comforting salt air. That's when he first realized that what Kado said was really true. It felt like a great weight had been taken off of his shoulders, a fog lifted from his vision.

He saw Kado heading toward the beach he and Riku had used so many times to race. Sora grinned, Kado was running in the opposite direction from the dock and escape. Sora ran toward the beach shack and jumped nimbly on top of its roof; grinning as he slipped into the 'short cut' and went to cut Kado off from any hiding spots he could find, and to get some answers.

* * *

**Dark Realm**

'**I have located the door for you master.'**

_**'…'**_

Cull'ark shifted uneasily from paw to talon as he waited for his master to reply. Blaine had left some time ago to report to this news his mistress in her castle. Though both masters were now on … alliance terms with one another neither trespassed into the others domain. On one side there was Cull'ark, S'kullar and their master using the Dark. And on the other you have Blaine, his twin sister, Lady Cifenta Elm, and their mistress using dark heartless and nobodies.

For now the minions would go scouting in pairs. The normal pairings were Blaine with Cull'ark and his sister with S'kullar. Going to worlds and determining whether the heart was sealed or not was what they did mostly now and days. Of course they also left some heartless to multiply and determine what type of defense the world had.

Creating the heartless was Cull'ark's favorite part, as he got to eat there physical heart from the empty shell left behind.

But this mission had been different. They had been told the go to the world Twilight Town and not to touch any hearts while there. Just to scout out the keyhole, look for the Keybladers, and to keep an eye open for the escaped door. Cull'ark and Blaine had followed all the instructions … except for the fact that Cull'ark had taken a few hearts and Twilight Town now had a few heartless lurking in its alleyways.

Cull was jerked out of his silent fidgeting by his master's cold whispering voice invading his thoughts. _**'Cull'ark.' **_

'**Yes, master?'** Cull'ark had to work hard to not let his fear be heard or felt.

'_**Why are you so heavily injured.'**_ It wasn't voiced as a question; it was voiced as an order.

'**I also found the keys you were so interested in master.'**

'_**And…?'**_

'**They became aware of my presence with Blaine master. We were forced to act.'**

Cull'ark watched as his master seemed to ponder. Then the darkness near to them stirred and S'kullar appeared; bowing respectfully to master and fellow servant before speaking.

'**I have found the world you wished for me to locate master. But the keyhole to its heart is sealed. How do you wish for me to proceed?'**

Again the master pondered, head cocked slightly to one side.

'_**Cull'ark, take Blaine and go to Twilight town again. Go in during the night using one of your portals so Blaine may save his magic for capturing the door and the Key of my choosing. S'kullar, once the two have been captured take them to the world you are currently scouting. You will receive further instructions as I see fit.' **_

Both servants bowed deeply and murmured a respectful, **'Master.'** ,as their master melted into the darkness and disappeared. There was a moment of silence before they began to speak of the events that happen that day in more detail to one another.

S'kullar was not surprised at Cull's news.

'**You never control yourself.'** S'kullar reprimanded, his beak moving as if he were speaking aloud. **'Your beastly habits will be the end of you one day.'**

Cull'ark scoffed and asked what had happened on the mission the master sent him on.

'**I was told to go to a world the Keyblade master visited once before. A place called …'** S'kullar paused and used a talon to scratch the top of his feathery head, a habit he was often seen doing while thinking. Cull'ark was deeply jealous at S'kullar's smooth gryphon appearance while his own was ugly and vile.

'**Bah! What use have we for the names humans place on worlds?'** S'kullar said dismissively. **'It is the world where the living leftovers of other worlds fall once their homes have been swallowed by the dark.'**

Cull'ark's wolf ear perked in interest, while the other was a simple hole and could do no such movement. Oh, the delicacies of hearts he could find on a world like that!

'**The world is right in the middle of several large dark pathways, and are lord believes it could be a good spot to build.'**

At this information Cull'ark eyed S'kullar with suspicion mixed with disbelief. **'We can't build on a world! The sunlight would—,'**

'**I know what the sunlight would do Cull'ark!**' S'kullar said, as if insulted by the very suggestion of any negligence on his part. **'But the best part about this world is **_**it has no sun**_**!'**

It took a moment for this information to fully hit Cull. **'No sun? Like a world of the Gray region?'**

'**Yesss,'** S'kullar hissed out with great relish. **'And I have found someone quite interesting there to.'**

'**What human could possibly be interesting?'** Cull'ark said. **'The only thing that varies is their taste.'**

And Cull'ark licked his muzzle, showing he meant something far from what clothing they liked to wear or food they liked to eat.

S'kullar looked disgusted at Cull'ark's appetite but continued anyway. **'It was a survivor from a world we took quite a long time ago; about … six years past if I'm not mistaken.'**

'**So?'** Was the uninterested reply.

S'kullar glared at Cull'ark as he stretched his mismatched wings and gave a doggish yawn.

'**A survivor of the word of doors!'** S'kullar hissed.

Cull'ark shook himself off and lazily created a portal. **'It doesn't matter S'kull, we got the only door that world had left. And that's all we need.'** And with those words, Cull'ark melted into the darkness.

S'kullar stood there and snapped his beak in anger. Then, he too left; leaving nothing but darkness.

* * *

**To Twilit Avenger**: I got the name Kado while looking through the English to Japanese Dictionary, and it just seemed to stick. And thank-you for reviewing! I was beginning to lose hope of ever getting a comment one way or the other…

-Knux33


	6. Random Interests

Random Interests

For the first time, Kado noticed the warmth in the air and the salt on breeze. He noticed the soft dusty sand beneath his feet, the music of the waves, the grass that grew in patches around the rocks and fellow plants, and the thick wetness to the air.

_An island … a piece of land surrounded by water_. Kado recited in his head. Kado had an amazing memory and this particular piece of information he had learned when he was five. Once the initial awe of the experience wore off though— _…The door is locked … I can't even swim …_

Things weren't looking particularly well at the moment. At least, not for Kado. He continued to run through the trees and across the sand blindly, just trying to get away. No real reason for escaping presented itself, except that running was what he was used to doing. Running made sense.

Kado barely noticed the ground he ran on was wooded and rotting. That is, until the end of the wooded platform dropped out from under him, causing him to fall into the shallows in an awkward feet first position.

(AN: First time I raced Riku in KH that fall took me by total surprise … I really hope I wasn't the only one thrown of kilter by that the first time. Grrr Riku and his dirty tricks...)

Water soaked his feet and shocked his bemused and overloaded senses.

Kado quickly ran to get to higher ground; it was high tide and most of the beach was water instead of sand here. Once he ran up some old and close to rotting steps he looked at his wet-up-to-knee legs. He shook his bare feet out much like an overly-wet cat with an equally miserable look on his face. Much to his disappointment when his feet dried they got sticky and itchy, while his pant legs didn't dry at all.

Kado was tempted to yell out his frustrations just make some sound, like he had done so often in the dark. Just to hear a human sound when no other is present; but then he remembered. He wasn't _in_ the dark anymore.

He was supposed to be running.

* * *

Sora 

I walked quietly through the tunnel, feeling through the dark as I made my way to the south shore of the island. The cold, damp stone felt strangely soothing against my questing fingers and the wind whispered to me as I made my way forward. I was used to almost every twist, turn, and groove in it but I was surprised when I reached the end but I still couldn't see clearly.

Then I felt the pressure, the power, the sheer force of the storm. I've lived on this coast on my entire life so I've had enough time to learn how to tell when a storm was coming, and I'm surprised I didn't feel this one coming. But, then again, storms do have a tendency to pop up over night on the islands.

I felt on edge and tense, it had been dark and stormy on _that_ night too.

My eyes had adjusted to the darkness as I pondered so I shook way my uneasy feelings and looked around. I had come out right next to the turning point me and Riku use when we race; it still amazes me that the old star on a stick is still holding up against the elements.

Again I had to refocus to the task at hand, and make my way down the small jumps and slopes on the cliffside.

* * *

Kado 

Kado gazed across the beach, looking at the dead end he had run into. A steep cliff face was what met his gaze; blocking the path he had chosen. But then Kado saw someone climbing down from it. Though he could just barely make out Sora's light brown hair Kado confirmed his identity by the way his heart was beating with anxiety and confusion.

Gritting his teeth in silent frustration Kado turned to run the other way when he saw another figure in the darkness, a figure with long silver hair blocking the way he had come. Kado's frustration was washed away by panic as he looked franticly for a place to hide, and then the coconut grove seemed to present itself once again.

Kado silently glided to the shadows of the trees, crouching down to make himself as small and as inconspicuous as possible. He watched in silence and rapt interest as the two Keybladers slowly closed the distance between them. As they seemed to approach cautiously and in a predatory silence Kado realized that neither could see half as well in the dark as he could. Both stiffened when there feet and hands met with obstacles they could barely see.

He wondered why his vision was so much more efficient as the two got closer and closer, both still seemingly unaware of the other, until Riku seemed to stiffen; sighting Sora, thinking that the vague spiky-haired figure in front of him was Kado.

The real Kado on the other hand watch in fascination as Sora to stopped where he was and squinted. Kado wondered why it was so much harder to see here when he noticed the absence of starlight. Looking upward he saw clouds had swiftly taken most of the light away, covering the sky in a way that suggested rain and winds were expected.

Kado brought his eyebrows together in a natural sense of confusion. He barely remembered rain, but somehow his heart remembered something his mind did not.

_Rain …_ Kado thought with a mix of reverence and contempt. _How long has it been since I've seen the water and sky shed their tears of remorse for the fallen? _He used a term his mother had taught him, referring to the gods that created the worlds after the time of great darkness.

But even the threat of a soaking couldn't distract him from what happened next. Riku and Sora seemed to leap at each other simultaneously, just as a lick of lightning streaked across the night sky. Both saw clearly for a second and saw who they were leaping at, but it was to late for either to stop or correct their trajectory as darkness engulfed the island again.

Kado was horribly blinded by that second of brilliance, but he could still hear the dull _thunk_ as the to friends collided. He would of winced in sympathy if he hadn't been in so much pain himself.

The brief flash had not only blinded him, but the light seemed to have sledgehammered his brain as well. As his eyes pounded and watered to counteract the searing they had just gone through he ducked down by pure reflex and hid until he could see again.

He could hear the two keybladers moaning and speaking to one another, but he didn't even try to understand what they were saying; as far as Kado was concerned they could have been battling a hoard of Heartless for all he cared; the pain and temporary blindness was enough do have him in a state of_hurt. _He hadn't felt hurt in a while now, probably thanks the the caution and fear of all things he had learned in the dark ... well, partly learned in a sense.

Thunder roared and even seemed to make the ground shake. More lightning streaked across the sky as Kado kept his sensitive eyes closed. Then rain pored down from the heavens like it was never going to stop.

* * *

Blaine 

My footsteps echoed down the long hallway like half-formed thoughts, flouting for an instant then disappearing into the surrounding air. This castle we lived in was like that, with Nobodies fluttering around like shadows; at loath to be seen or acknowledged in existence. But that was fine with me; I hated the way they moved like boneless bags of still-living skin, even if that was exactly what they were.

I shivered as I went through my report in my mind; I was trying to get down as much truth as possible without revealing how much of an idiot I had been. What had I been thinking? The door had been right in my hand and what do I do? I have a conversation with my 'partner' while I should have been bringing him to my Mistress!

I couldn't even begin to think of what my sister would say; if she found out I would never live it down. The best part is I not only confront the very people I'm not supposed to reveal myself to; I engage in battle and lose. God what a day. And now I have to make a report of this monstrous mistake. Not what I had in mind for a scouting mission.

As if on cue, a haunting melody floated through the air. Its one I'm very familiar with because its one of my sisters favorites; any spare time she has goes straight to playing haunting melody's like this one on her piano. The creeping melody of _Moonlight Sonata _followed me as I stepped into the antechamber, but the music faded long before I got to the main audience room.

This castle had once belonged to Organization XIII, before all its member had been turned from Nobodies to Nothing. Our Mistress, called Maleficent by her enemy's and allies alike, claimed this castle from the spoils of what was left after Sora and Riku destroyed the last of its members. I hated the blue-red mist in the upper corridors and the ever present rain below the strange blue-red clouds, the neon signs glowing like forlorn messengers in the dark city below, and the hard to control heartless that roamed.

Here, even the loan Shadow could pose a threat. Here, one Shadow became a horde in the space of seconds and even the strongest could become lost in the darkness if one wasn't always watching of the tell-tale yellow eyes gleaming from the darkness.

I was yanked from my musings as I realized my mistress was walking into the room from the top balcony; probably so she could sit and look down from the higher viewpoint the second story of the room offered.

I was on the bottom half of the room, where the white polished floor was scorched with ugly black laser marks, some relics left from an unnamed battle. I couldn't help but shift nervously as Maleficent glared down from her 'throne.'

"Your last mission was in Twilight Town, was it not?" Her voice filled the chamber effortlessly and left echoes that only seemed to amplify her power.

"Yes Mistress," I said unemotionally, having to raise my voice slightly for it to carry from my lower position,"My most recent assignment was Twilight Town."

"You remembered your orders for that world, correct?"

"Yes, Mistress." I shifted my position a bit; where was she going with this?

"Not to draw attention to yourself, not to create any Heartless, to only locate the Keyhole..." Silence engulfed the room as her words trailed off.

"Mistress?" I ventured hesitantly.

"You not only failed to obey any of these orders, but you let the door our ..._ ally_ so desperately wishes to obtain get away from right under your very nose." Her tone wasn't what it should be. There was no great anger in her words; her voice hadn't risen at all from the volume she had used when he first came into the room.

I knew that was not a good sign.

_'Caw'_

The harsh croak of her 'pet' raven nearly made me jump out of my skin with fright. I watched as the dark scavenger circled around the high roof of the audience room and vaguely wondered if he had been the one to give away my horrible failure.

The bird then swooped downward, landing on the handle of Maleficence's staff. I watched as she stroked her familiars glossy black feathers; the only compassion I have ever seen her show is too that beast, though I am at a loss to say why she values it so highly.

"Well, do you have anything to say Blaine?" Her voice ringing about the chamber tugged me from my mussing and into my present predicament.

"N-no, Mistress." I stuttered.

"Very well then. Blaine, go back to your quarters and await my judgment."

For a second I didn't move; my legs refused to listen to my brain. Then, in a light-headed daze, I turned and stumbled back into the antechamber. Then I noticed Pete, the very fat cat/thing, escorting someone in. A very regal and beautiful someone.

_The Queen has come; about time._ I thought to myself. Though I has fascinated by her stone-like beauty I knew better than to linger or stare, she was of a greater use to my Mistress than I.

I quickly made my way to my chambers, my sister's song coming forward to me almost like a welcome. I smiled as I made my way to the only family I had left.

The rest of our world had faded to the darkness long before.


End file.
